Ironing-machine



H. W. HAHN.

IRONING MACHINE. APPLICATIONFILED SEPT-17, 1920.

1,372,349, Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

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m O L l; I o f 5 W1, 0 a\[ 561 Q 0 0 Q a IT 6 o c Q m i m o H 7 f" l o I o r o f 0 Q //YVE/V7'0R H. W. HAHN. IRONING MACHINE. APPLICATI'ON FILED SEPT. 17, 1920.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

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ve/vra AQAAJ WM NHMIm H. w. HAHN. I'RONING MACHINE.

A-FPLILATION FILED SEPT- 17, 1920. 1,372,349. Patented Mar. 22,1921.

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H. W. HAHN.

IRONING MACHINE. 7 APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, 1920.

1,372,349, Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

H. W. HAHN. momma MACH INE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 17, 1920.

, Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

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PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT W. HAHN, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

IRONING-MACHINE.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 22, 1921.

Application filed September 17, 1920. Serial No. 410,973.

T 0 allgwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT \V. HAHN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ironing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to ironing machines. Although particularly suitable for domestic use, the invention is also applicable to ironing machines for use in commercial laundries.

The object of the invention. is to provide an ironing machine which may be readily used to iron garments or other fabrics which require the greatest care in ironing, as well as to iron the more easily ironable pieces,the machine being simple in construction, easily operated, and requiring a minimum of care and attention to keep it in'proper running condition. A further object of the invention is to provide an-ironing machine having an ironing board and an iron movable in all directions with respect to the board by mechanical-power mechanism, having an easily operated control.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings which form part of this specification the preferred embodiment of the inventionis illustrated. Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 a plan View thereof; Fig. 3 a vertical sectional view taken on the line IIIIII, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 a vertical sectional viewtaken on the line IV--IV, Fig. 1; Fig.- 5 a horizontalsectional view taken on the line V--V Fig. 4; Fig. 6 a detached side view of an'iron and the lower end of its support; Fig. 7 a plan view,'to enlarged scale of controlling valves; Fig. 8 a combined elevation and vertical sectional view of the valves illustrated in Fig. 7, the plane of the sectional portion being indicated by the line VIII- VIII Fig. 7 Fig. 9 a sectional view taken on the line IX-IX, Fig. 8, showing in detail the general arrangement of valve ports: Figs. 10 and 11 detached views of details of construction explained hereinafter; and Fig. 12 a diagrammatic representation of the operating mechanism and the means of controlling it.

The invention may be best understood with reference to an explanation of the construction and operation of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated herein, it being understood, however, that the invention may be practised by other forms of construction and types of mechanism than are specifically shown and described.

The ironing machine comprises a frame on which there is mounted aniiro ning board and an iron movable in all directions with respect to each other. 'While as far as some features of the invention are concerned it is mmaterial which of the two cooperating iron ng elements is movable, it is preferred to rigidly attach the ironing board to the frame and to provide mechanism for moving the iron.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, the frame ofthe ironing machine comprises a base 1 provided with casters so that it may be readily moved from place to place, an upright member 2, and a horizontal arm 3 attached to the end of such upright member. The ironingboard 1 may be supported, preferably in a horizontal position, by means of uprights 5 and 6, a pair of such uprights being arranged one at each side of the ironing board. As far as the present invention is concerned, the board may' be variously constructed. However, it is preferably formed of a metal frame '7 overlaid with a sheet of perforated metal 8, on which sheet the required padding 9 is placed, the general construction being such that the moisture from the clothes being ironed may, in the form of steam, escape through and beneath the board.

The iron may be of various types of construction suitable for difierent specific pur poses, that shown herein being a flat-iron 10 of the usual or any desired type of construction, adapted to be heated electrically, the iron being provided with an attachment socket 12. As particularly illustrated in Fig. 6, the iron may be'detachably connected to an iron support 13, preferably arranged substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the ironing board. For connecting the iron to its support, the iron is provided with a special handle 14 having at its upper end a horizontal plate 15 provided with recesses lfi adapted to be engaged by a pair of fingers 17 and 18. These fingers are attached to the lower end of the support 13. the finger 18 being pivoted, as at 19, and be ing held yieldingly toward the finger 17 by means of a spring 20.

Means are provided to move the iron longitudinally and transversely on or with respect .to the face of the ironing board, to raise and lower it with respect to the board, and to rotate it on an axis passing through the iron substantially perpendicular to the board. Of the various types of mechanism which may be used to effect these several movements of the iron, it is, for the sake of simplicity in construction, ease in operation and freedom from mechanical difliculties, preferred to use'fluid pressure mechanism.

For moving the iron longitudinally of the board, the iron support is borne by a carriage 21 provided with sleeves 22 and 23 which are slidably mounted upon tubular rods 24 and 25v attached at their ends to standards 26 and 27, which standards are supported by the horizontal frame 3. Arranged between the rods 24 and 25, and attached at its ends to the standards 26 and 27, there is a pressure fluid cylinder 28 provided with a piston 29 and piston rod 30. The outer end of the rod 30 is attached to a yoke or cross-head 31, to which there are also attached two rods 32 and 33, which in turn are secured to the carriage 21. The ends of the cylinder 28 are provided with ports 34 and 35, through which motive fluid may flow into and be discharged from the cylinder. The conduits leading to the cylinder 28and the valves for controlling the flow through them, as well as the conduits and valves for the other fluid pressure units, will be explained with reference to the diagrammatic view of Fig. 12. For the present,

it is suflicient to note that a movement of the piston 29 within the cylinder 28 in response to the flow of motive fluid to and from the cylinder efi'ects a'corresponding movement of the carriage 21 in a direction longitudinal of, and parallel to, the ironing board 4.

For moving the iron in a direction transversely to that effected by the movement of the carriage 21, such carriage is provided with a fluid pressure cylinder 36 arranged horizontally and at right angles to the cylinder 28. Within the cylinder 36 there is a piston 37 attached to the piston rod 38, the outer end of which rod is attached to a supplemental carriage 39 slidably mounted on guides 40 forming apart of the carriage 21. In response to the movement of the piston 37, the supplemental carriage 39 may be moved transversely-of the ironing board.

The vertical movement of the iron is similarly effected by means of a verticallydisposed fluid pressure cylinder 41 attached to the upper end of the supplemental carriage 39, such cylinder being provided with a piston42 attached to a piston rod 43, which in turn is secured to the upper end of the iron support 13 in a manner presently to be explained.

For rotating the iron on an axis perpendicular to the board and passing through the iron, the supplemental carriage 39 is provided with a horizontally disposed fluid pressure cylinder 44. Within such cylinder there are arranged two pistons 45 connected to each other by a rack bar 46, which meshes with the pinion 47 feathered to the iron support 13 and extending into an opening formed in the central portion of the wall of the cylinder 44. The upper end of the iron support is provided with a sleeve 48 having an inwardly extending flange 49 which engages a head 50 formed on the lower end of the piston rod 43. The pinion 47 is arranged between arms 51 and is thereby held in mesh with-the rack 46. The iron support 13, being slidably mounted in the arms 51,

may readily be moved vertically in response to the movement of the piston 42, and may be rotated on its own axis in response to the movements of the pistons 45.

In Fig. 12 there are diagrammatically illustrated the several fluid pressure cylinders previously explained, together with the conduits connecting them with the valves for controlling the flow of motive fluid. The several valves are preferably combined in such a manner that each may be separately, or several of them simultaneously, controlled by -a' single operating member, the general arrangement being such that the movement of the iron by the fluid pressure mechanism in any given direction is in response to the movement of the valve operating member in the same general direction as it is desired to move the iron.

The means for controlling the flow of motive fluid to and from the cylinder 44 for causing the iron to rotate will be first explained. Extending from the opposite ends of the cylinder 44 there are flexible conduits 52 and 53which, as particularly illustrated in Fig. 9, are attached to the upper face of holding the disk 55 yieldingly toward the I plate 56, a spring 58 may be arranged between the head of the pin 57 and the disk.

The plate 56 is provided with a port 59 which communicates, through a conduit 60, with a source-of motive fluid supply such as compressed air. At the sides of the port 59 there are exhaust ports 61 and 62. In a similar manner, the disk 55 is provided with ports 63 and 64 which communicate with the conduits 52 and 53, respectively. In the relative position of the disk 55 and plate 56 shown in Fig. 9, the supply of motive fluid to both conduits 52 and 53 is shut off. By rotating the disk 55 in a direction to cause port 63 of the disk to register with port 59 of the plate 56, compressed air will flow from the conduit 60 to the conduit 52 to the left end of the cylinder 44, and at the same time the right end of such cylinder will be open to exhaust by reason of the registry of ports 64 and 62. In a similar manner, the disk may be turned in the opposite direction to cause the opposite flow of compressed air through the conduits 52 and 53.

The operating member for rotating the disk 55 preferably consists of a knob 65 supported by a bracket 66 cent-rally of the disk, the arrangement being such that the mere rotation of the knob 65 will effect a corresponding rotation of the disk. Furthermore, the arrangement is such that the rotation of the iron in response to the rotation of the knob 65 is in the same direction as the rotation of the knob. For holding the disk normally in the position indicated in Fig. 9, a suitable spring may be provided, and for such purpose there is illustrated in Fig. 11 a leaf spring 67 so bent that its two ends may lie within recesses 68 and 69 formed, respectively, in the peripheries of the disk 55 and plate 56.

A'valve similar to that just explained, and comprising a disk 70 and a plate 71, is provided for controlling the flow of compressed air to and from the cylinder 36 for effecting the transverse movement of the iron, and there are flexible conduits 72 and 73 extending between the disk 70 and the cylinder 36. The disk 70 is attached to, and projects at right angles from, the plate 56, and is rotatably mounted on a plate 71 by means of a pin 74. The valve thus formed by the disk 70 and plate 71 is provided with ports and otherwise constructed the same as the valve formed by disk 55 and plate 56, and is adapted to be operated by moving the knob 65 in a direction transversely of the ironing board depending upon which way it is desired to have the iron move.

The valve for controlling the movement of the carriage 21 comprises a disk 75 rot-ata-bly mounted on a plate 76, thedisk 75 being vertically disposed and extending at right angles from the plate 71. Between the disk 75 and the cylinder 28 for moving the carriage there are flexible conduits 77 and 78, the arrangement of the valve ports and conduits being such that, by moving the operating member 65 to the left to cause the disk 75 to rotate upon the plaie 76, motive fluid will be so directed through the conduits 77 and 78 that the iron will be moved to the left, and that, when the operating member is moved in the opposite direction, the iron will also be so moved.

A valve similar to those just described is provided for controlling the flow of motive fluid to and from the vertically disposed cvlinder 41. This valve comprises a movable member 7 9. corresponding in construction and operation to the disk 55, and a stationary member 80, similarly corresponding with the plate 56. Flexible conduits 81 and 82 extend from the cylinder 41 to the sta-' tionary valve member 80. The valve member 79 is attached to or forms a part of a bar 83, pivoted as at 84 to a suitable support. The other end of such bar consists of the plate 76. The construction of the valve 79, 80 and the arrangement of conduits 81 and 82 are such that, by pressing downwardly upon the operatin member or knob 65, the flow of motive fluid will cause the iron to be lowered upon the ironing The valve mechanism thus explained may be attached to the ironing machine in a convenient position for operation. As illustrated in the drawings, it may be attached to the edge of the ironing board at the right hand end thereof, the left hand of the operator then remaining free to manipulate articles being ironed. H

As previously stated compressedair may be used as motive fluid for operating the several fluid pressure units. The compressed air may be derived from any suit- If no supply is otherwise able source. available, a compressor 95 may be attached to the frame of the machine, such compressor being adapted to be driven by a wheel 86 adapted to be rotated by any suitable source of power, as for example a small electric motor.- The discharge end of the compressor 95 is connected to the several valves by means of flexible conduits 60, 87, 88 and 89.

In case it is desired to control the fiow of motive fluid to one or more of the fluid pressure units by a foot-operated valve in place of the hand-operated valve, and thereby permit the operator to frequently use both hands to manipulate material being ironed, .foot pedal control valves may be used. As illustrated in Fig. 1 a valve 90. operated by foot pedal 91. is provided to control flow of motive fluid through conduits 92 and 93, which communicate with conduits 81 and 82 leading to the vertically disposed cylinder 41. Thus, a second means is provided for controlling the flow of motive fluid through the conduits 81 and 82. In a similar manner other fo'ot control valves may be provided.

The ironing machine may be used to iron articles previously dried or articles received directly from a wringer and containing considerable moisture. In the latter case, a longer time is required for ironing an article,

iron.

but this is not burdensome because no muscular effort is required for manipulating the In operating the machine, an operator may stand or sit at the side of the ironing board l. and. by moving the operating member in the general direction in which it is dered to move the iron 10, the seve 'al pressure fluid units will cause the iron to be so moved. It is not necessary that the several power units be operated independently, but on the contrary. two or more of them may be operated simultaneously to give a result-' ant movement to the iron. Depending upon the extent of the opening or closing of any of the control valves. the iron will be moved at various rates. 'hen it is necessary or desirable for the operator to use both hands in positioning the material being ironed, foot pedal control valves may be used in place of the halal-operating valves.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes. I have described the principle and operation of my invention. together with the machine which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that. within the scope of the appended claims. my invention may be practised by other forms of construction than specifically illustrated and described herein.

I claim:

1. In an ironing machine. the combination with a frame. and ironing elements mounted on said frame comprising an ironing board and iron, one of said elements being mounted for movements in all directions with relation to the other element. of fluid-pressure actuated mechanism for effecting all said movements.

2. In an ironing machine. the combination with a frame and an ironing board and iron mounted on said frame. the iron being movable in all directions with relation to the board. of fluid-pressure actuated mechanism for effecting all said movements of the iron.

3. An ironing machine comprising a frame provided with anironing board, a fluid-pressure cylinder mounted on said frame parallel to said board and provided with a reciprocatory piston and piston rod, a carriage mounted on said frame for move ment parallel to said board and equipped with an iron. and means for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to and from the opposite ends of said cylinder.

4. An ironing machine comprising a frame provided with an ironing board. a carriage mounted for movement parallel with said board. an iron support borne by said carriage. and fluid-pressure mechanism borne by said -arriage fo moving said iron support in two directions. each substantially at right angles to the movement of said carriage.

5. An ironing machine comprising .a frame provided with an ironing board, a carriage mounted for movement parallel with said board, fluid-pressure mechanism for moving said carriage, an iron support borne by said carriage, and fluid-pressure mechanism borne by said carriage for moving said iron support in two directions each substantially at right angles to the movement of said carriage.

6. An ironing machine comprising a frame provided with an ironing board, a carriage mounted for movement parallel with said board, an iron borne by said carriage. and mechanism borne by said carriage for moving said iron in two directions each substantially at right angles to the movement of said carriage and for rotating said iron on an axis passing through the iron, and substantially perpendicular to said board.

' T. An ironing machine comprising a frame provided with an ironing board. a carriage mounted for movement parallel with said board. fluid-pressure mechanism for moving said carriage. an iron support borne by said carriage in a position substantially perpendicular to said board. and fluidpressure mechanism borne by said carriage for moving said iron support in two directions each substantially at right angles to the n'iovement of said carriage and for rotating said iron support.

8. In an ironing machine the, combination with a frame. and ironing elements mounted on said frame comprising an ironing board and iron. one of said elements being mounted for movements in all directions with relation to the other element. of mechanism for effecting said movements. and a single operating member for controlling said mechanism.

9. In an ironing machine, the combination with a frame, and ironing elements mounted on said frame comprising an ironing board and iron, one of said elements being mounted for movements in all directions with relation to the other element, of fluid-pressure actuated mechanism for effecting said movements, valves for controlling pressure-fluid for said mechanism, and a single operating element for moving said valves.

10. In an ironing machine, the/combination with a frame and an ironing board and an iron mounted on said frame, the iron being movable in all directions with relation to the board, of mechanism for effecting said movements, and a single operating member for controlling said mechanism. the movement of said iron by said mechanism in any given direction being responsive to the movement of said operating member in the same general direction as such given (lll'GCtlOIl.

11. An ironing machiiie comprising a frame provided with an ironing board. a carriage mounted for movement parallel with said board, an iron borne by said carriage. mechanism borne by said carriage for moving said iron in two directions each substantially at right angles to the movement of said carriage and for rotating said iron on an axis passing through the ll'Oll and substantially perpendicular to said board, and a single operating member for controlling the movement olUsaid carriage and the movement of said ironanoving mechanism borne by the carriage.

12. An ironing machine comprising a frame provided with an ironing board a carriage mounted for movement parallel with said board. fluid pressure mechanism borne by said carriage for moving said iron in two directions each substantially at right angles to the movement of said carriage and for rotating said iron on an axis passing through the iron and substaiitiall perpendicular to said board, valves for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to and from said mechanism. and a single operating member for controlling said valves.

13.311 ironing machine comprising a frame provided with an ironing board, an

:30 iron movable parallel to said board in two directions at right angles to each other and also movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to said board, separate power units for effecting each of said movements of the iron, a single hand-operable member for controlling said power units. and a supplemental foot operable member for controlling one of said power units.

ll. -\n ironing machine comprising a frame provided with an ironing board. an

iron movable parallel to said board in two directions at right angles to each other and also movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to said board. separate pres- HERBERT W. HAHN. ll'itnesses:

J. S. (JlLADTONE, W. B. SroHN. 

